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Today's Sports

ARVADA — The stresses of a high school swimming season can become apparent just prior to the push for league and state championships.
With state six weeks away, swimmers have spent numerous hours in the pool building up the anxiety of high expectations. Just as the mental strain could overcome an athlete’s psyche, the unique opportunity of the Jeffco League Relays provided an escape from pressures the season can bring.

LAKEWOOD — One look at the Evergreen boys’ lacrosse team’s 8-0 record and it’s easy to see that they are having a red-hot season. So when they defeated the Chatfield Chargers 12-5 on April 4 at Trailblazer Stadium, the only thing that was shocking was that it was the first time the Cougars had beat the Chargers.

E.J. Boillot knows quite a bit about jump roping. After all, he was a physical education teacher for 23 years at Ute Meadows Elementary School. But 20 years ago, while teaching jump roping in his P.E. class, competing in it through the American Heart Association and then watching a team in Boulder compete, Boillot was ready to take the next step and build a team of his own.
A competitive team at that.
It took a while to get kids involved, but Boillot has done just that with the Jumping Eagles.

BASEBALL
Silva, Dakota Ridge rally from early deficit to top Gresham
Nick Silva pitched seven-plus innings of four-hit relief, striking out 15 as Dakota Ridge rallied from an early eight-run deficit to defeat Gresham 13-12 on March 26 in Coach Bob Invitational in Arizona.
It was Dakota Ridge’s third straight win. The Eagles (6-2) got three RBIs from Josh Guerra.

THORNTON — Bryce Carter is setting up his senior season perfectly.
The Chatfield swimmer finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle at last year’s 5A state championships. And now at the Dick Rush Memorial Invitational on March 31 he showed that this year he’s in it to win it.

By day, he’s Brandon Morris, a 22-year-old Columbine High School gradute employed in the mailroom at Oce Business Services in Westminster. By weekend nights, he’s Bruce Rogers, a 6-foot, 220-pound local independent wrestler.
A former four-year wrestler for the Rebels, Morris started training for professional wrestling days after his high school wrestling season ended.
“I just wanted to do it the moment I turned 18. Then I realized I had to go through my senior year first. But then I wanted to do it right away,” Morris said.

Wearing a black blazer, dress shirt and slacks, Andrew Ryan looks the part of a professional, even if the 5-foot-11, 170-pounder doesn’t exactly inspire visions of Hulk Hogan or Andre the Giant.
But in the wrestling ring the 21-year-old Colorado Springs resident has established himself as one of the state’s most entertaining and technically sound grapplers.

BASEBALL
Dakota Ridge opens with fast start in Arizona tournament
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dakota Ridge won its fourth straight game and second in the Coach Bob/Boulder Creek Invitational on March 24 with an 11-1 win over Coconino (Flagstaff, Ariz.) at Deer Valley High School.
The Eagles (5-1) opened with a 3-0 win over host Deer Valley earlier in the day.
Dakota Ridge played two more games in the tournament after press deadlines. The Eagles return to Colorado to play at Golden on April 5.

HIGHLANDS RANCH — The old saying is that it’s not over until it’s over thanks to N.Y. Yankees legend Yogi Berra. But that certainly wasn’t the case March 23 when the Columbine Rebels’ boys lacrosse team met host Valor Christian.
It was over almost before it started.
Serving as a tuneup for Columbine’s three-game road trip to California this week, the Rebels imposed their will early and often in a 19-4 thumping. The 19 goals were a season-high for Columbine.

ARVADA — It’s not like Dakota Ridge didn’t have its chances. Time and again the Lady Eagles got good looks on goal. But be it whether the ball sailed high over the net or directly into the crossbar it wasn’t meant to be.
Amy Hayes and Adranna Brite scored second-half goals as Arvada West sent Dakota Ridge to its fourth shutout defeat of the season 2-0 at the North Area Athletic Complex. The 5A state finalists from a season ago dropped to 1-5 overall, 0-1 in Jeffco League play.